Steam heating system and regulator therefor



Aug. 30 1932. J. A. D O'NNELLY v 7 STEAM 'HEATING SY STEM AND REGULATORTHEREFOR v Filed May 24,. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Witnesses: I fnunfor:

gzf W v James ci fianizell y Aug. 30, 1932. J. A. DONNELLY STEAM HEATINGSYSTEM AND REGULATOR THEREFOR Filed May 24, 921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 vlNVENTO R James fflflannel? Aug. 30, 1932- J. A. DONNELLY STEAMHEA'RQING SYSTEM AND REGULATOR THEREFOR Filed May 24, 1921 v 4Sheets-Sheet :5

"asses fn/uenl ar: 2215M Jame; oifiannll W MMMM 7 Aug. 30, 1932.DQNNELLY 1,874,174 4 STEAM HEATING SYSTEM AND REGULATOR THEREFOR FiledMay 24, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 il i fne .9 s as g3 [no 614.222

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 @NHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES A. DONNELLY, OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T WARREN WEBSTER & COMPANY, A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY STEAM HEATING SYSTEM AND REGULATOR THEREFOR Applicationfiled. May 24,

This invention relates to vapor systems of the one or two-pipe types andto regulators therefor and has for one of its objects to provide a meanswhereby the amount of steam or vapor entering the system is controlledby the amount of condensation therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an eflicient form ofregulator for said systems or any purpose wherein steam is measured orcontrolled by the resulting eondensation.

Another object of the invention is to arrange and construct the abovementioned regulator and steam heating systems in such manner that thecondensation from only a portion of the system need be passed throughthe regulator, while it is operating to regulate the vapor or steamsupply to the whole system.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide means whereby the steamentering the system may be accurately supplied as to quantity to insurethe necessary vapor or steam being distributed to the various parts ofthe system to fulfill predetermined required con 'ditions.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds;and while herein minute/details of the improvements are de- 3 scribed,the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changesmay be made without departing from the scope of the.invention asclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example several of manypossible embodiments of the invention: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sideelevation showing a twopipe steam heating system for fractional supplycontrol and distribution, showing the boiler, radiators and connections;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, partly in elevation,showing the regulator; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, partly inplan, of the regulator; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of one ofthe dampers of the boiler; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevationshowing a one-pipe steam heating system for fractional supply controland distribution, showing the boiler, radiators and connections; Fig. 6is a vertical section of a combined hand 1921. Serial N0. 472,229.

valve and regulator union providing a fixed orifice adapt-ed for usewith .my improvements; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 6; Figs. 8 and 9 are end views of elements of the union showingorifices carrying partitions in elevation; Fig. 10 is a longitudinalsection of a combined elbow and regulating orifice adapted for use in myimproved system; and Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional View of anotherform of regulating orifice for said system, and more particularly foruse in the branch pipes thereof.

In the two-pipe steam heating system for fractional supply control anddistribution shown in Fig. 1, the boiler 10 is provided with a furnacehaving an ash-pit damper 11 and aflue damper 12 each pivotally mountedon its horizontal axis 13 (Fig. 4) in the frame 14.

A steam supply main 17 rises from the upper part of the boiler andcommunicates with steam risers 19 which are connected to said main 17 byoffsets 20, said offsets also connecting with branch supply pipes 22,each connected with the upper part of one of the respective radiators.Distribution valves 26, connecting with the branch supply pipes 22,control the amount of steam-admitted to the corresponding radiators. Theradiators on the floors above are also provided-with similar valves 26,but are otherwise connected to the risers 19 in the usual way.

An equalizing pipe 28 connects the upper ends of all of the said risers19, whereby condensation water in one of the risers 19 can not be heldfrom flowing downward to the drip pipe 35 by reason of the upcomingsteam in the riser, because steam from other risers 19 may freely passfrom the equalizing pipe down the riser containing such condensationwater and equalize the pressure above and below the water, therebycausing the water to flow downward by gravity and preventinginterruption of the normal flow of steam to the radiator or radiators.

30 and 31 are outlet pipes from the lower part of the radiators; and ineach of said outlet p'ipes there is inserted a safety or return trap 32which may be similar to the valves 17, 20 or 20a described in my UnitedStates Patent No. 1,536,571, dated May 5, 1925, for

valve for trap systems, of which 20 and 20a are thermostaticallycontrolled and 20a is especially suited to the requirements of thereturn traps of the system herein described.

While it would be possible to return all of the condensation water fromthe radiators through the vapor regulator later to be described, Iprefer to return a large part of it through a low wet return main 34discharging into the lower part of the boiler in the usual way; to whichwet main, drip pipes 35 from the steam risers 19 and steam main 1? areconnected. Also branch returns 36, each having an air relief valve 37therein, drain the radiator outlet pipes 31 through return pipes 38 tosaid wet main.

On the other hand, return risers 40 connect the outlet pipes 30 of atypical group of radiators to a dry return or drip main 41, dischargingits condensation water into a steam-tight vapor-regulator cylinder 42,which drains through a return pipe 43 into the lower part of the boiler10. An air relief valve 44 communicates with the lower part of saidcylinder.

In said cylinder 42 is disposed the automatic vapor-regulator 45,controlled by condensation water from the main 41 and controlling theaforesaid furnace dampers 11 and 12. Said vapor regulator 45 comprises atransversely arranged rockshaft 46 (Figs. 2 and 3) rotatably mountedacross one end of the cylinder 43. The rockshaft is provided at one endwith a suitable stuffing box whereby said end projects to the outside ofthe cylinder 42. The intermediate part of said rockshaft carries an arm47 disposed more or less longitudinally within the cylinder, said armcarrying on its free end a cup or receiver 48 receiving condensationwater from said dry return main 41. The cup or container 48 is providedat the lower part of its side wall with ahorizontally elongated orifice49, preferably having inwardly turned edges for retarding the flow ofwater therefrom into the bottom of the cylinder. The purpose of thehorizontally elongated opening is that dirt and other obstructionsusually move in or on the water with their major axes horizontal and,therefore, pass more" freely through the horizontally elongated orificesthan would be the case if the orifices were round. Inwardly turned edgesreduce the amount of discharge.

A balance lever 50 intermediately mounted on the projecting end ofrockshaft 46 is provided at the outer end of the arm 51 with acounter-balance weight 53 to counter-balance the weight of said cup 48.At the intero mediate part of said outer arm there are carried upperedge notches 54 and graduations 55 corresponding to possible weathertemperatures on the outside of the building or I other enclosure to beheated.

An adjustable weight 56 on the other arm of said lever for bringing thelever to neutral position makes it possible to avoid the necessity of anaccurate distribution of weight of the parts in manufacture. A rider 60carried on said arm 51 is provided with a hook engageable with said armand carries a plurality of counter-balance weights 61. These adjustableweights provide means for loading the regulator to compensate forchanges in outside temperature.

A chain 63 connects the outer end of said arm 51 with the aforesaid fluedamper 12, to open the flue damper when the cup 48 is lowered; whileanother chain 64 connects the free end of said inner arm to said ash-pitdamper 11 to close the ash-pit damper when the cup is lowered.

In normal operation, the steam passes from the boiler 10, through thesteam main 17,the offset pipes 20, branch pipes 22 and through valves 26to the radiators.

From the radiators 25, the condensation water passes through the returnvalves or traps 32, and thence into return pipes. As shown in Fig. 1,the two radiators 25 to the left discharge through pipes 30 into theriser return pipes 40 which are connected at the bottom into thehorizontal dry return main 41, and from which said water of condensationdischarges into the cup 48 of the regulating means. These leftpositioned radiators 25 are thermally affected and hence constitutethermally affected means in the control of the regulator in controllingthe steam generation in the boiler. In the case of the other or tworight-hand radiators, the water of condensation passes by pipes 31 intothe vertical riser return pipes 38 and ultimately through the branchreturn 36 into the wet return main 34 by which it is delivered into theboiler. This arrangement is to indicate that it will suffice for aportion only of the condensation water of the system to be returned tothe boiler through the regulating means and thereby permit said means tobe smaller in capacity than would otherwise be required, and, moreover,will allow such regulating means to be made of a standard size whichwould properly operate with heating systems of various sizes.

The water of condensation flows through the dry return main 41 and dropsinto the cup 48 and builds up a certain static-head. This head will varyin proportion to the amount of water entering, since the greater therate at which the waterenters, the higher will be the water level withinthe cup; while the less the rate, the lower will be the level. Theweight of this water in the cup is balanced by means of the movablerider 60 and its weights 61, set at a point on the arm 51, which willcontrol the draft for any desired rate of furnace heating. The immediatedamper operating arm and dampers 11 and 12 constitute a regulator forvarying the pressure in the steam or heat carrying medium, and the cup48 with the water therein constitutes a motor means for controlling theoperation of the regulator, while the radiator or radiators forproviding the actuating fluid for the cup constitute the temperatureaffected device or means for governing the action of the motor means.More generally stated, the pressure regulator means is controlled bymeans responsive to temperature for regulating. the pressure of theheating fluid (steam). More broadly stated, the pressure regulator iscontrolled by temperature controlled regulating means.

If the water returns to the cup faster than necessary to maintain thishead, the cup will descend, raise the weights 61, open the damper 12,and close the damper 11. The damper 12 may be adjusted to open only whenthe air supply through the damper 11 is completely shut off. This isaccomplished by a proper construction of the dampers as shown in Fig.

4. When the dampers shut off the drafts, the amount of condensationreturnin to the cup 48 will decrease, and the water will eventuallyreturn therein to alower level, thereby again causing the openingadjustment of the draft dampers to the proper position fpr the originalrate of burning.

As explained above and shown on the drawings, it is not necessary topass all of the condensation through the regulator. It s is suflicientto choose any typical group of radiators, fairly representative of theentire system. The drips from the steam mains and steam risers shouldnot be returnedthrough the regulator, but through the drip pipes 35,

as they frequently contain water due tov boiler priming and neverrepresent condensation from the radiators. It will be manifest that alarge number of orificed radiators may be employed throughout thebuilding for heating its rooms to predetermined temperatures, whereasone or more heating units of sufiicient condensing capacity may beutilized as means responsive to atmospheric temperature.

changes and utilized for controlling the operation of the regulatingmeans of the boiler which controls the steam pressures generated thereinand extending into the steam supply main 17. These condensing radiators,act as neans, not only affected by the atmospheric temperatures of theroom in which they are placed, but are in fact affected by the varia''tionsin the outside atmosphere since outside changes affect the roomtemperatures.-

On first starting up, the adjustment of the regulator should be asfollows: The rider and weights 61 are removed and the weight 53 isfixednear the end of the arm 51. The weight 56 is then adjusted on the otherarm of the lever to balance the-apparatus. The rider 60 and weights 61are then placed at the outer or zero mark on the arm 51, which wouldcorrespond to the adjustment for zero,

outside temperature; and after the radiation has become entirely heated,the proper tem-. perature may be maintained by removal of some of theweights 61 from the rider, untilthe regulator is again in balance.Thereafter, the apparatus will not require further adjustment except forchanges in outside temperature.

As the outside .temperature materially changes, the position of theweight on the regulator lever is manually changed to correspond. Thiscontrols the boiler so that it unions about to be described must beadjusted so that all radiators will heat up uniformly, and since thedrop in pressure to the farthest radiator is greater than that to thenearby radiators, Eidjustable opening of the valves 26 should beincreased for the radiators farthest away and reduced for those nearestthe boiler. Hence, if desirable, it is even possible to heat thefurthest radiators most or least, depending upon choice. The regulatingvalve will now be described.

The combined hand inlet and fractional distribution valve 26 comprises avalve body 70 (Fig. 6) forming a casing having a horizontal partition 71provided with a flat seat 72 having a restricted cylindrical opening 73.Said casing is provided with a downwardly opening outlet opening 75receiving the pipe :22 and communicating with the seat 73 from beneath,and a cap receiving opening 76 and an inlet opening 77 communicatingwith the seat from above. Said inlet opening is formed by an exteriorlythreaded inlet conduit 80 provided with a transverse partition 81 havingan opening 82 (Fig. 8) bounded by an are 83 of small radius and an are84 of large radius, one hundred and fifty degrees long, and radiallydisposed connecting edges one hundred and fifty degrees apart. Said arcsand radial edges all have the same generating center concentric to theconduit 80. The edgesv of the conduit adjacent to the outer face of saidpartition have inwardly inclined faces 86.

{A thimhle exteriorly threaded at the outer end 91 for connection withthe radiator also provided with a transverse partition 96 (Fig. 9)provided with an opening 97 bounded by an are 98 of small radius and anare 99 of large radius also one hundred and fifty degrees long, andradially disposed connecting edges 100, one hundred and fifty degreesapart. Said arcs and radial edges all have thesame generating centerconcentric to the conduit, and with said first named generating center.An interiorly threaded hexagonal ring 105 received on the threads ofsaid conduit 80 is provided with end gradations 106 (Fig. 7 disposedfifteen degrees apart. An interior flange 107 (Fig. 6) on said ringengages said shouldered flange 9 1 for holding said openings 82 and 97inadjusted angular relation. Said flattened corner 93 and apertures areso related that when said flattened corner is uppermost the apertureswill be adjusted to give a minimum opening as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,bounded by said small arcs 83 and 98 only, and when said flattenedcorner 93 is, in either direction, as much as thirty degrees from itsuppermost position, said apertures will give an opening increasing inproportion to the angular rotation of the thimble, which can bedetermined by counting the graduati'ons 106.

A cap 110 disposed in said guide receiving opening is provided with acylindrical hole 111 having a shoulder 112 at the upper end and threadsat the lower end. A friction washer 113 is disposed against saidshoulder; and a bushing 114 is disposed in the lower part of saidcylindrical hole. A valve stem 117 passing through said hole and bushingis formed with a threaded lower end 118 and with a collar 119 engagingsaid friction washer. A hand wheel 120 is disposed on the upper end ofthe stem; and a spring 121 is compressed between said collar andbushing. A valve head 125 received on said threaded lower end isprovided at the edge with a recess 126 receiving a guide rib 127 on theinner face of said casing, and at the bottom with an annular recess 128receiving a gasket 129 engageable with said valve seat.

The amount of opening required is ascer tained by calculation andexperiment, and the nipple 90 adjusted angularly in order to give therequired opening and flow of steam, after which the ring 105 is screwedtight.

The hand wheel 120 is used for adjustments for temporary or personal orother considerations. I

Under some conditions, it is not desirable that the fractional valve becombined with the handvalve, in which case it may be combined with anelbow 26a (Figs. 1 and 10) or a straight union 26b, (Figs. 1 and 11).

In the case of the elbow 260, the adjusting parts are substantially thesame as described of Figs. 6 to 8, except that an elbow 7 0a issubstituted for'the valve casing and in the case of the straight union,a nipple 7 07) having a flattened corner 93?) substituted for the valvecasing 70a, both nipples 70b and 906 being interiorly threaded thoughobviously any of the nipples may be either exteriorly.

or interiorly threaded as desired. With the union 26b, adjustment ismade by measuring ator units for the purpose of accurately distributingsteam to all of said branch mains or risers and tothe respectiveradiators, to insure proper heating of the rooms according topredetermined requirements and for maintaining the required roomtemperatures. In the present case, I have combined the use of normallyfixed orifices, with provision for automatically controlling and varyingthe pressure of the steam supplied, in accordance I with changes in theatmospheric temperature; and also with provision for adjusting thecalculated areas of the orifices to provide accurate relativeproportioning of the radiator inlet normally fixed orificesas well asthose of the branching mains or risers. By the employment of orificecontrol, I am enabled toaccurately supply thexmains or risers and theradiators thereof with exactly the right quantities of steamcommensurately with changes inoutside atmospheric tem peratures, byvarying the steam pressure under control of changes in the atmospherictemperature. This enables the radiators to be operated with fractionalheating, the supply of steam through the orifices being restricted andgoverned by the size of the orifices and the pressure upon oppositesides of said orifices. This is explained in my aforesaid Letters PatentNo. 1,681,725.

In utilizing the adj ustability of the. orifices in the branching mainsor risers, it will be understood that a plurality of such mains orrisers may be arranged for zoning by being ill placed at differentportions of the building and where different quantities of steam are rrequired to insure uniform temperature. The requirements are met byadjusting the orifices; and if, owing to storm conditions,

one portion of the building should need more steam temporarily tomaintain the desired room temperature, the orifice of the branch main orriser for that part of the building may be quickly and accuratelyreadjusted to meet the temporary required change of condition and withassurance that the individual distribution to the radiators supplied-bysuch mains or risers will properly distribute the supply main 137 risesfrom the upper part of the boiler and is sloped in the direction of theflow and communicates with risers 139,

through branch pipes 1 10. Branch pipes 142 connect with the risers bymeans of said branch pipes 140 and communicate at their upper ends withradiators 145 through valves 146. The branch pipes of the radiators onthe floors above are connected to the risers in the usual manner. A handvalve l l6is interposed in each branch pipe 142 at the radiator. An airvalve 147 communicates with the interior of each radiator and permitsthe escape of air and prevents air-binding.

A low wet return main 154 connects the outer end of the steam supplymain to the lower part of the boiler; and drip pipes 155 connect certainof said risers 139 to said wet main. l

Drip pipes 160 connect the risers 139 of a typical group of radiators toa dry return or drip main 161 discharging into the steamtight vaporregulator cylinder 42 and drainmg by means of a return pipe 43 into thelower part of the boiler 10, said cylinder also containing the motorportion of the automatic vapor regulator which is actuated by thecondensation Water and controls the dampers 11 and 12, all as fullydescribed with relation to the two-pipe system of Fig.1.

The water of condensation flows through the dry return main 161 anddrops into the cup of the regulator, and the regulator and damperoperate substantially as described in the two-pipe system.

When starting as a vapor pressure system, with the regulator weights 60,61 at some intermediate position, steam enters the supply mair.compressing the aid in the radiators and forcing it out at the airreturn and relief valves. When operating as a vacuum system, the dampersare set for full opening until sufficient steam is generated to expelthe air from all the radiators and through the relief valves 37 and 44:.This rate of steam supply is maintained until tlfe building is broughtup' to temperature. The egulator weights 61' are then set at the pointon the scale that corresponds with the outside temperature. This reducesthe draft on the furnace to the point which insures the proper pressureand amount of steam to be generated to maintain degrees in zero Weatherand, when the demandis less, the pressure, on' the boiler drops to avacuum, and the air valves close and prevent the air from reentering theradiators.

Either type of my improved system may be operated at any vapor pressureabove or below atmosphere, without change in the adjustment of thedevices.

The characteristic advantages of my system are as follows: (1) Low costof installation; simplicity of operation; (3) economy in coalconsumption; (4) control of room temperature from one point,the boilerroom; (5) conformity of pipe sizes with those of standard practice; (6)control of heat emitted by radiator's'in proportion to outsidetemperature; and (7) equivalent of hot Water heating in economy.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and usefulconstruction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and describedthe preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice togive satisfactory and reliable results,'it is tobe understood that I donot restrict myself to the details as the same are susceptible ofmodification in various particulars without departing from th spirit orscope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a steam supply; a plurality of radiators connectedto. said supply; means receiving water of condensation from a portiononly of the radiators; and a regula- .tor controlled by the rate of flowof said conlator controlled by the condensation Water from a portiononly of the return means and controlling said steam supply to all ofthe.

radiators.

3. In combination, a steam supply; radiators connected to said supply; adischarge main connected to a portion of said radiators less than theWhole of them; and a regulator controlled by the condensation water insaid main and controlling the steam supply for all of the radiators.

4. In combination, a steam supply main; radiators connected to thesupplymain; 9. wet return main; drip pipes connecting certain of saidradiators to said wet return main; a dry return main; drip pipesconnecting a portion ;only of said radiators to said dry return main tothe exclusion of the other radiators; and a regulator controlled by thecondensation, water in said dry return main and controlling the'steamsupply for all of upper part of the boiler; steam risers rising fromsaid main; branch supply pipes cone uv nected to the risers; radiatorsconnected to the branch supply pipes; an outlet pipe for the lower partof each radiator; a low wet return main discharging into the lower partof the boiler; drip pipes connecting said steam risers and steam main tosaid low wet return main; a branch return having an air vent Valvetherein connected to said low wet return main; a dry return mainconnected 10 to the lower part of the boiler; return risers connectingthe outlet pipes of a portion only of said radiators to said dry returnmain and the other radiators to said branch return; and a regulatorcontrolled by condensation water from said dry return main andcontrolling the combustion in said furnace. JAMES A. DONNELLY.

